Exfoliation Devices and Methods

ABSTRACT

An exfoliation product as disclosed herein has a body formed of a flexible material and configured to have an exposed exterior surface. At least one or multiple sealed interior spaces are disposed within the body. An exposed scrubbing material is located on at least a portion of the exterior surface of the body and has mechanical exfoliating capability. The sealed interior spaces are filled with a flowable material that can submit to an applied pressure and conform to a shape of a body part applying the pressure upon the exterior surface of the exfoliation device and can maintain the conformed shape while resisting the applied pressure.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This patent is related to and claims priority benefit of U.S.provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/896,689 entitled “ExfoliationDevices and Methods,” which was filed on Mar. 23, 2007, and which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure is generally directed to exfoliation products,and more particularly to exfoliation mats, appliqués, and other productsfor exfoliating one's feet or other more difficult to reach extremities,wherein the products are filled with a material that can assist in thedevice conforming to the shape of the user's foot or other extremity.

2. Description of Related Art

Individuals often wish to massage or exfoliate epidermal layers from thebottoms of their feet or other body extremities. However, someindividuals may have difficulty in reaching these extremities because ofa physical limitation, whether because they suffer from a disability,are injured, are elderly, have become overweight, or the like. A numberof products are known that can assist such a person in washing orscrubbing the bottoms of their feet or other extremities. These productstypically are equipped with brush bristles that project or extend froman object. Some of these types of objects have an elongate handle toassist in reaching the difficult areas. Some of these types of productsare instead designed so that the person can stand on the object andbrush their feet against the bristles.

A number of these known products are suitable for use in a shower orbath environment. The user can either stand or sit while rubbing theirfeet on the bristles of the device to clean their feet bottoms. Brushbristles sometimes are not sufficiently effective to exfoliate dead skinlayers, and particularly from parts of the body where such layers canbecome thicker and even form calluses. These types of devices tend totrap dead skin and moisture at the base of the bristles. This can causeodor to emanate from the device and trap germs on the device.

A number of known sheet or mat-like products exist that include orincorporate an exfoliating abrasive surface on a top side of the sheetof mat. U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,552 discloses a number of examples of singlelayer or multi-layer sheets of material with an abrasive surface on oneside. U.S. published application No. 2007/0022527 discloses a matwherein a portion of the top surface can include an exfoliating abrasivesurface, such as pumice stone material. These types of products andother similar known products offer either a resilient foot contactingsurface that flexes and deforms easily upon pressure applied by a usersfoot, reducing the effectiveness of the exfoliation process or asubstantially non-deformable abrasive surface that is not capable ofconforming at all to the contours of a users foot or other extremity.Thus, in order for a user to sufficiently exfoliate using a product witha resilient and highly flexible material requires the user to press downwith their foot or extremity relatively hard on the surface of theproduct until the product surface bottoms out against a hard,non-deformable material. Alternatively, the non-deformable abrasiveproduct requires a user to manipulate and roll their foot or otherextremity significantly to adequately exfoliate different areas on thecontoured surface of the extremity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent upon reading the following description in conjunction with thedrawing figures, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one example of an exfoliation deviceincorporated into a bath mat and constructed in accordance with theteachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a cross section taken along line II-II of the exfoliationdevice in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an alternative example of anexfoliation device in the form of a bath mat and constructed inaccordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a top plan view of an alternative example of an exfoliationdevice in the form of a bath mat and constructed in accordance with theteachings of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a side elevation of the bath mat in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 shows a cross section taken along line VI-VI of the bath mat inFIG. 4.

FIG. 7 shows another alternative example of an exfoliation device in theform of a mat or appliqué and in accordance with the teachings of thepresent invention.

FIG. 8 shows a rear end view of the mat or appliqué in FIG. 7.

FIGS. 9-13 show various alternative exfoliation device shapes andconfigurations constructed in accordance with the teachings of thepresent invention.

FIG. 14 shows a perspective view of another example of an exfoliationdevice in the form of a buffing strap constructed in accordance with theteachings of the present invention.

FIG. 15 shows a cross section of the buffing strap taken along lineXV-XV in FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 shows another example of an exfoliation device in the form of aball constructed in accordance with the teachings of the presentinvention.

FIG. 17 shows another example of an exfoliation ball similar to that inFIG. 16.

FIG. 18 shows another example of an exfoliation device in the form of acircular tube constructed in accordance with the teachings of thepresent invention.

FIG. 19 shows an end view of the device in FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 shows another example of an exfoliation device in the form of anoval tube constructed in accordance with the teachings of the presentinvention.

FIG. 21 shows an end view of the oval tube in FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 shows yet another example of an exfoliation device in the formof a mat or buffing strip constructed in accordance with the teachingsof the present invention.

FIG. 23 shows a cross section of the mat strip taken along lineXXIII-XXIII in FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 shows a cross section of a soaking tub constructed in accordancewith the teachings of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

The previously mentioned known devices are not suitable for deep massageor exfoliation. The bristles of some of these known devices are nothighly suitable for applying sufficient and consistent pressure to thebottoms of a person's feet or other extremity. The bristles often willcollapse, split, break away, or permanently deform over time. Sometimes,the damaged bristles will have exposed sharp or jagged tips or surfacesthat can cause discomfort, scratch, or even injure a user. The bristlescan trap germs and cause odor as well. Other known devices and productsdo not sufficiently withstand or resist the downward force applied bythe user to accomplish massage or exfoliation. Some other of thesedevices may not be capable of any deformation to conform to the shape ofa body part in contact with the device surface.

Various exfoliation devices and methods are disclosed and describedherein in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Thedisclosed devices and methods solve or improve upon one or more of theabove-noted and other problems and disadvantages of these knownproducts. A number of the disclosed devices can be used as a hands-freedevice and can render it much easier for a user to exfoliate the bottomof their feet or other extremity while at the same time reducing stresson the body. A number of the exfoliation devices disclosed herein can bemounted to or placed on a surface in a tub or shower area. A number ofthe disclosed devices can be utilized comfortably while standing up in ashower or while sitting down in a bath tub or the like, allowing theuser to exfoliate at their leisure.

The disclosed devices can employ one or more surfaces having different,user selectable abrasive grades or grits on the same device. The usercan select the surface on the device that has the desired abrasioncharacteristics for a particular usage. A number of exfoliation deviceexamples are also disclosed herein that can have a desired decorativeappearance and yet offer an exfoliation surface with one or moreabrasive grades or grits. The disclosed exfoliation devices can be moredurable than known exfoliation devices and can increase the lastingnature of a given procedure because of their ability to more deeplyexfoliate during use. Additionally, the disclosed exfoliation productsor devices can be rinsed clean easily, thoroughly, and immediately afteruse or can be machine washed to accomplish same.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows one example of an exfoliationdevice 20 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the presentinvention. In the disclosed example of FIG. 1, the exfoliation device 20is configured in the form of a bath mat that is attachable two or canrest on a surface in a bathing area such as a tub or shower. In thisexample, the bath mat 20 includes a conventional mat portion 22 and anexfoliation portion 24 situated at one end 26 of the mat portion 22. Themat portion 22 can be of sufficient length and width to be attachable toor fit within a standard tub or shower. In this example, the mat portion22 can be formed of any suitable known material, such as rubber,polypropylene, polyethylene, or the like, as is known in the art, andcan include a plurality of holes 28 for passing water through the matportion. The mat portion 22 can attach with suction cups, friction, orany other suitable means, or can simply rest on a surface withoutphysical attachment.

In the disclosed example, the mat portion 22 has a generally flatconfiguration. In this example, the exfoliation portion 24 is configuredas a raised tubular exfoliation bump positioned at one end of the mat.As depicted in FIG. 2, the raised tubular bump or exfoliation portion 24is an enclosed structure with an exterior material layer enclosing aninterior space. In this example, the exfoliation portion 24 is formedhaving an upper layer 30 of the material and a lower layer 32 of thematerial. The upper layer 30 includes a top surface 34 and a lowersurface 36. A lower layer 32 includes an upper surface 38 and the bottomsurface 40. In the disclosed example the bottom surface 40 facesdownward while the top surface 34 faces upward and is exposed. Aninterior cavity is formed between the lower surface 36 and the uppersurface 38 of the two layers 30 and 32 in this example. The two layers30 and 32 can be joined to one another and the opposed ends 42 and 44 ofthe exfoliation portion 24 can be closed off in any suitable manner inorder to create a sealed space.

The exterior material layer, and particularly the upper layer 30, shouldbe made of a relatively resilient and flexible material. The materialshould also be durable and capable of withstanding repeated applicationof pressure upon the surface 34 and repeated exposure to hot water andthe like. The material of the exfoliation portion 24 can also thus beformed from rubber, polypropylene, polyethylene, or the like as is knownin the art.

The interior sealed space of the exfoliation portion 24 can be filledwith a relatively high viscosity or dense but movable or flowable fillermaterial 50. The material properties of the filler material 50 should besuch that the exfoliation device can allow the surface to conform to auser's foot or other body extremity placed on and applying pressure tothe surface of the exfoliation portion 24. The material 50 should alsobe capable of resisting the applied pressure on the surface, or at leastassisting the exfoliation portion layer in resisting the appliedpressure. Once pressure upon the device is removed, the filler materialmay be such that it is sufficiently dense or of sufficiently highviscosity so as not to immediately flow to another shape but insteadmaintain the conformed shape for a period of time after release of thesurface pressure. However, materials may be available that are suitablefor the intended use but that immediately return to a non-conformedshape upon release of the applied pressure.

In one example, the filler material 50 can be a dense, relatively highviscosity material such as a gel or other suitable liquid or semi-liquidsubstance. In another example, the filler material 50 can be a materialidentified as an elastic solid material capable of deformation uponapplication of pressure from a user's body. In a further example, thefiller material 50 can be in the form of small, densely packed solidparticles. In yet another example, the filler material 50 can be a typeof relatively high density memory foam or polyester foam material. Thefiller material 50 of the exfoliation portion 24 can vary and yet fallwithin the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, sand,glass beads, pellets, putty, clay, high viscosity gels, dense liquids,high viscosity liquids, putty- or caulk-like substances, elastic solids,gelatinous materials, or the like can be provided in the interior.

As will become evident to those having ordinary skill in the art uponreading this disclosure, the filler material 50 should be capable ofperforming upon application of pressure from user's body in the materiallayer of the exfoliation portion. The filler material 50 should also becapable of maintaining its deformed shape for a time after release ofthe pressure on the surface of the exfoliation portion 24. Dependingupon the nature of the filler material 50, the method or manufacturingprocess used to fill the space can vary considerably. In the case ofrelatively high viscosity liquids, gels, or putties, or in the case offoams or other similar substance, the filler material could be injectedinto the sealed space. The injection opening could be plugged manuallyor automatically plugged or closed off during the manufacturing process.In another example, one end or edge of the body can be left open. Thespace can then be filled with a desired filler material 50 and then thatedge can be closed or otherwise sealed.

At least the surface top surface 34 of the exfoliation portion 24disclosed in FIG. 1 is provided in this example with an abrasive surfaceor layer 52. In the disclosed example, the abrasive surface 52 should besuitable for mechanical exfoliation or removal of dead skin from thebottom of one's foot or other extremity. In one example not shown, theabrasive layer 52 can cover a substantial majority of the exteriorsurface of the strip, other than the bottom surface, and have aconsistent abrasive grade or grit. In another example shown in FIG. 1,the abrasive surface can be provided having two or more segments orregions 52 a, 52 b, 52 c, etc., each having a different abrasion gradeor grit characteristic. In such an example, the user can select theappropriate abrasive grade for their particular purpose during each use.In yet another example as shown in FIG. 3, an abrasive layer 52″ canhave a gradual change in abrasive grade over the surface area of thelayer. The grit or grade can change laterally across, longitudinallyalong (or both) the surface or surfaces of the exfoliation portion 24.

As with the filler material 50, the abrasive layer 52 used to form theabrasive surface and the means in which that material is applied orattached to the surface or surfaces of the exfoliation portion 24 canvary within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Additionally,the surface or surfaces of the exfoliation portion 24 to which theabrasive layer 52 is applied can vary. Depending upon the shape andconfiguration of the exfoliation portion 24, the abrasive layer 52 neednot only be applied to an exposed top surface, but can also be appliedto a front or back curved surface, side edges, ends, or the like of theexfoliation portion. The abrasive layer 52 can be in-molded into thesurface material or can be applied to a carrier layer that is attachedto or in-molded onto the exterior surface of the filled or raisedexfoliation portion. The material used to create the abrasive layer 52can also vary considerably. In one example, the grit material can beground up stone, such as pumice, or the like. Other materials can alsocertainly be utilized, such as sand or silica, aluminum oxide granules,ground up walnut shells, apricot pits, or the like. However, the gritmaterial is preferably of a nature so as to be flexible during use toconform to the changing shape of the device and yet provide significantabrasive characteristics in order to be suitable for exfoliationpurposes.

In the example of FIG. 1, the exfoliation portion 24 can be integrallyformed as a part of the mat portion 22 and from the same material as themat portion. The interior space of the exfoliation portion 24 can thenbe filled or injected, surface treated with abrasive material, andsealed. Alternatively, the exfoliation portion 24 can be separatelymanufactured and be removable from and attachable to the mat portion 22as shown in the alternative example of FIG. 3. The bath mat 20 can beprovided of a generally traditional construction suitable for placementon a bath or basin surface. An edge or other location on the bath matcan be provided with the connection device 54 for connecting orotherwise attaching the exfoliation portion 24 to the mat portion 22 foruse only when desired. The exfoliation portion 24 in this example canthus be removed from the bath mat portion 22 when it is not needed. Inone example, the exfoliation device or bath mat 20 can include aseparate exfoliation portion 24 and mat portion 22 that can both beprovided with cooperating connection device components. The connectiondevice can be snaps, buttons, hook and loop fastener material strips,linear interlocking strips or zipper-like elements, adhesive stripssuitable for wet or dry usage, or the like. The connection device 54need only be suitable for attaching and releasing the exfoliationportion 24 from the mat portion 22. Other examples of connection devices54 certainly can fall within the spirit and scope of the presentinvention.

In one example, the exfoliation portion can be a generally flatter matstructure (see FIGS. 4-6) that is attachable or removable to or from asurface or edge of the bath mat portion. In another example as shown inFIGS. 1-3, the exfoliation device can be a flatter bodied structure,such as a tube, roll, or the like. Any such exfoliation portions can beconstructed as disclosed herein and that either can attach to a surfaceor edge of a bath mat portion or are integrally formed as a part of abath mat portion. The length, width, shape, contour, and vertical depthof the exfoliation portion of the bath mats shown and described hereincan vary within the scope of the invention.

With that in mind, FIGS. 4-6 show another example of an exfoliationdevice 60 that also includes a bath mat portion 62 similar to the bathmat portion 22 described above. In this example, the exfoliation device60 also includes an exfoliation portion 64 that can either be integrallyformed as a part of or removably attached to the bath mat portion 62. Inthis example, the exfoliation portion 64, as noted above, as a flattermore mat-like construction. However, FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate that theexfoliation portion 64 is generally similar and construction to thepreviously described exfoliation portion 24. Specifically, theexfoliation portion 64 is also an enclosed structure with an exteriormaterial layer enclosing an interior space. In this example, the portion64 has an upper layer 66 and a lower layer 68 of the material. The upperlayer 66 has a top surface 70 in the lower surface 72. The lower layer68 has an upper surface 74 and a bottom surface 76. As in the previousexample, the bottom surface 76 faces downward while the top surface 70faces upward and is exposed. An interior cavity is formed between thelower surface 72 and of the upper surface 74 of the two layers 66 and68. As in the prior example, the interior cavity can be filled with afiller material 50 with the same characteristics as described above.

In this example, the exfoliation portion 64 has a perimeter 78 and isconfigured to resemble a recognizable object, and in this particularexample, a flower petal or sea shell like object. Thus, the exfoliationportion 64 in this example includes a plurality of petal regions 80 a,80 b, 80 c, 80 d, 80 e, etc. In the example of FIGS. 4-6, each petalregion object can have an abrasive layer or surface 52 having adifferent abrasive surface grade or grit, if desired. Thus a user canselect a particular region to perform a desired exfoliation function onthe bottom of their foot or other bodily extremity.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, a portion of the perimeter 78 caninclude a raised bead, a lip, rib 82, or the like. As indeed it can beformed as a second portion of the upper layer 66 in this example, or canalternatively be formed in other suitable ways. Also, a surface 84 ofthe perimeter bead 82, and particularly one that faces and is adjacentto the abrasive layers are surfaces 52, can also include an abrasivesurface 52. The combination of the abrasive surface 52 on the surface 84and the location and height of the bead 82 can assist a user whensitting to apply pressure against the back of their heel. This can allowsubstantial exfoliation to the back and side surfaces of the users he'lland not just the bottom of the foot. Also, this feature can allow aperson, when standing, to exfoliate underneath and between their toes,as well as on the sides of their foot and toes.

As will become evident to those having ordinary skill in the art uponreading this disclosure, the disclosed exfoliation devices, andparticularly the exfoliation portions, can be utilized and configured asseparate components eliminating the bath mat portions described above.Exfoliating mats can be produced as stand-alone items. Smallerexfoliating appliqués can also be produced as stand-alone items. Thedisclosed exfoliation devices can be configured so as to be useful inprofessional salon or pedicure services and thus can be disposable orhave disposable components. Additionally, many different shapes andvariations of exfoliation devices can be configured and yet fall withinthe spirit and scope of the present invention. The perimeter shape ofthe disclosed exfoliation devices and/or portions can vary and beconfigured to resemble virtually any desired object. The devices andportions can also be configured to have an aesthetically pleasingconfiguration as desired. Each of these appliqués, mats, devices, andexfoliation portions can be configured as described above and includethe filler material 50 on an interior of the object and include one ormore abrasive surfaces or layers 52 on an exterior of the object.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate one example of a decorative appliqué 90configured to resemble a fish. In this example, the appliqué 90 can havea bottom surface 92 with an adhesive or other attachment mechanism thatis configured to adhere the appliqué 92 to a surface, such as a tubsurface. The appliqué can be applied in an environment and meet a dualpurpose. One of the purposes can be for enhancing the aestheticappearance of the environment in which the appliqué 90 is used. Theother purpose is, obviously within the spirit and scope of theinvention, for use as an exfoliation device. The configuration and shapeof the appliqué can vary considerably and yet fall within the spirit andscope of the present invention. In the disclosed example, the appliquéincludes a number of surface features and contours which define aplurality of regions 94 a, 94 b, 94 c, etc. on the exposed surface ofthe appliqué 90. As before, these regions can employ an abrasive layeror surface 52 as desired. These surfaces can also have a different grit,the same grit, and the like, also as desired.

FIGS. 9-13 illustrate additional examples of product shapes that canemploy the teachings of the present invention. FIGS. 9-11 illustrate toalternative exfoliation mat devices constructed in accordance with theteachings of the present invention. FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate agenerally rectangular mat 110 constructed similar to the exfoliationportion 64 described previously. Specifically, the mat 110 has a topsurface 112, a bottom surface 114, and an interior cavity around a notshown) that is filled with the filler material. In this example, the mat110 includes a plurality of abrasive surface regions on the top surface112. A mat 110 has a pair of spaced apart foot-shaped abrasive regions116 having the same abrasive grit and a central region 118 of differentabrasive grit than the foot-shaped regions 116. FIG. 11 shows a mat 120with spaced apart strips 122 of abrasive material on a top surface 124.In this example, each of the strips 122 can have a different abrasivegrit selectable by a user. Many other configurations and constructionsare possible that would fall within the spirit and scope of the presentinvention. In addition, the bottom surfaces of these mats can alsoemploy a non-slip or other type of attachment mechanism so that the matscan be utilized in a tub or shower area and can remain in place duringuse.

FIG. 12 shows a round exfoliation mat 100 with a number of abrasiveregions 102 a, 102 b, 102 c, 102 d on the top surface of the mat. Aswith the prior examples, the regions having different grades or gritsand the mat 100 can be filled with a filler material 50. FIG. 13 shows ahalf circle shaped mat 104 with otherwise similar features in comparisonto the mat 100. Each of the mats 100 and 104 can have a filled thicknessand construction otherwise similar to the exfoliation portion 64 of thedevice 60 as described above, for example. Certainly other shapes andconfigurations are possible within the spirit and scope of the presentinvention. The size, shape, configuration, and thickness of the variousalternative products can vary and yet perform as intended.

Another example of an exfoliation device in the form of a buffing strap130 is shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. In this example, the disclosed strap130 has an elongate body 132 with a pair of opposed ends 134. A handleor loop 134 is respectively attached to each end 134 of the body 132.Each handle 136 has a grip 138 that can be grasped and held by a userand an outer surface 140 of the body can be placed under the user'sfoot, between their toes, or against another surface of a bodilyextremity. The handles 136 can be manipulated by the user to slide thesurface 140 laterally back and forth across the bottom of their foot ina reciprocating motion to exfoliate or massage the bottom and sides ofthe user's foot, between the user's toes, and the like.

In one example, the exterior surface 140 of the body 132 can include oneor more abrasive surface regions as previously described that areconfigured to exfoliate or remove dead skin from the user's foot. In theexample shown, the surface 140 on one side of the body 132 has a firstabrasive region 142 and the surface on the other side of the body has asecond abrasive region 144 having a different abrasive characteristicthan the first region 142. A user can orient the strap 130 to expose theselected region 142 or 144 to their skin, as desired. In anotherexample, one or more surface regions (not shown) on the body can beprovided with raised or contoured surface features that can massage thebottom of a user's foot. In a further example, both such surfacefeatures can be provided on the exterior surface of the body. In onesuch example, one side of the body can employ a foot massage surfacecontour and the other side of the body can employ a skin abrasion orexfoliation type surface. As will be evident to those having ordinaryskill in the art, the surface characteristics of the body can varywithin the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The body 132 of the exfoliation device or strap 130 shown in FIGS. 14and 15 can in cross section be a circular cylinder, an ellipticalcylinder, a generally flat or oval cylinder, or other shape. In oneexample, the body can be filled with a filler material 50 as describedabove. The filler material 50 can assist in massaging the foot or otherbodily extremity while also assisting the surface of the strap 130 toconform to the contour of the user's extremity as described previously.The filler material 50 in the strap 130 should be flexible allowing thestrap to be bent or curved around the user's foot or other extremityduring use.

The various exposed regions 142, 144, or other surfaces on the body 132can each be formed or treated with the appropriate abrasive and/ormassage surface characteristics as desired. The handles 136 can alsovary in configuration and construction. The handles can be rope,plastic, rubber, or other material that are adhered, sewn, removablyattached, or integrally molded or formed of the same material as thebody. In an alternative example of the invention, the handles 136 andgrips 138 can be removable from the body and the body can be utilized ina different exfoliating manner. In one example, the strap 130 withoutthe handles 136 can be configured for placement in a foot tub asdisclosed and described below. In another example, the body 132 withoutthe handles 136 can be utilized as a foot manipulatable exfoliationdevice, also as described below.

The body 132 can be formed of any suitable, flexible material orcombination of materials, such as rubber, fabric, or the like. As withall of the disclosed devices, the strap body 132 can be formed of awaterproof material for shower or bath use. The body can also beconfigured from a material or materials so as to be machine washable.Alternatively, the body can be configured from materials so as to besuitable only for dry use or for use in both wet and dry environments.Additionally, the body can be filled with a suitable dense but movablefiller material 50 to assist in buffing greater surface area as the bodyconforms to the user's foot during use. As with the mats and appliquésdiscussed previously, the length, size, and shape of the strap 132 canvary within the spirit and scope of the present invention and is notintended to be limited only the shape and configuration shown in theillustrated example.

FIGS. 16-21 illustrate additional alternative examples of exfoliationdevices in accordance with the invention. In these examples, a body isprovided that can be moved and manipulated by the user's foot to achieveefficient exfoliation and comfort. FIG. 16 shows a ball 150 that has anexterior surface 152 with a variety of different abrasive grade or gritregions 154, 156, and 158. The interior of the ball can be filled with asuitable filler material 50 as described previously. The user can rolland move the ball 150 to expose a selected surface region. They then canknead the ball 150 with their foot to remove dead skin cells. The ball150 can be polyester filled, foam filled, open or closed cell foam withno filler, or filled with any other suitable materials, such as any ofthose noted previously. The ball can also be formed having a waterproofskin or outer layer for tub or bath use. The ball 150 can bemanufactured in any suitable manner to fill the body and add theabrasive surface texture or regions 154, 156, 158, etc. During use, thesurface of the ball will conform to the user's foot and will resistpressure applied by the user's foot, as a result of the filler material50, to provide a more efficient exfoliation procedure.

FIG. 17 shows a similar ball 160 with different abrasive grade regions154, 156, and 158, but with a stem 162 and a flat bottom 164 on thestem. The bottom 164 of the stem 162 can have an adhesive layer 166 orsome other mechanism for attaching the ball 160 to a surface. The ball162 can be manipulated about the stem 162, but the adhesive layer 166 orother mechanism will hold the ball in place so that a user can moreeasily apply great pressure with their feet without having to keep theball from rolling.

FIGS. 18-21 illustrate still further examples of movable or rollableproducts similar to the ball of FIG. 16, but with non-spherical shapes.FIGS. 18 and 19 show a tube or cylinder 170 that can be rolled to exposea desired surface region 154, 156, 158 for exfoliation. FIGS. 20 and 21show an oval tube or pad 172 that can be flipped using one's feet toexpose either side of the pad. The two sides of the pad can also beprovided with various regions 154, 156, and 158 having different surfacecharacteristics or abrasive grades or grits. In each of these examples,the user can sit in a chair, roll the product to expose the desiredsurface on the product, hold the product in place with one foot, and/orknead the product with one foot or the other to exfoliate their feet. Aswith ball 150, each of the similar devices 160, 170, and 172 can also beformed of any suitable material or material combination and be filledwith a suitable filler material 50.

FIGS. 22 and 23 show yet another example of an exfoliation device inaccordance with the invention. In this example, the device is in theform of a mat strip 180 that can be attachable to a surface in a bathingarea such as a soaking tub, bathtub, or shower. In one example, thestrip 180 can be provided of sufficient length to be attachable to afoot soaking tub 182 as shown in FIG. 22. In the disclosed example, thebuffing strip 180 has a bottom side 184 with an adhesive material 186 orother attachment mechanism on the bottom side. The adhesive material 186can be any suitable adhesive such as a pressure sensitive adhesive, aremovable paper strip adhesive, a reusable adhesive, or the like.Alternatively, the adhesive material can be replaced by any othersuitable connecting mechanism such as suction cups, hooks, snaps, or thelike. The tub 182 can be provided with a portion of the connectingmechanism, if desired. The strip 180 can be applied to a desired surfaceand retained in place by the adhesive or other mechanism. The strip canbe configured for repeated use, or can be configured for use in aprofessional salon environment and be disposable after use for and by asingle customer.

The disclosed strip 180 also includes an interior filled with a fillermaterial 50 as described previously. The strip 180 also has an exposedexterior surface with a top side 190 that has one or more abrasivesurface characteristics thereon. The exterior surface of the exfoliationstrip, including the top side 190, can be provided with a single gritabrasive layer 192 as shown, or with a multi-grit or multi-gradeabrasive surface similar to that previously described. The abrasivematerial on the exterior surface can also vary in this example, as longas it is capable of exfoliation. A user can place there foot on theappropriate surface location and knead their foot on the strip 180 toimpart removal of dead skin cells. Again, the length, width, andvertical depth of the strip can vary. In one example, the strip can beabout two inches in depth to yield good deformation and foot contourconformity. The material used to form the strip can also vary. In oneexample, the material should be waterproof so that the strip can beutilized in a soaking tub, bath tub, or shower area.

In the disclosed example, the tub 182 has a bottom 194 and a perimeterside wall 196 extending up from the bottom. The strip 180 can be laidacross the bottom 194 and extended up the opposed interior surfaces ofthe side wall 196. Though not shown, the grit or abrasive material 192on the strip 180 can extend to the parts of the strip 198 on the sidewalls 196 of the tub 182 such that a user can exfoliate the sides of thetheir foot or heel during soaking. In this example, the tub 182 can befilled with water and a user can soak and exfoliate their feetsimultaneously. The filler material 50 in the strip 180 will assist inproviding an efficient, thorough, and deep exfoliation procedure.

FIG. 24 shows a section through an alternative example of a foot soakingtub 200 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the presentinvention. In this example, the tub has a bottom 202 and a side wall 204extending up from a perimeter of the bottom. The bottom 202 in thisexample includes one or more elevated foot support surfaces 206 that isangled or inclined relative to the plane of the bottom 202. The footsupport surface 206 in this example has a filled exfoliation layer 208.The layer 208 is filled with a filler material 50 as previouslydescribed. The layer 208 also has a top surface with an exfoliatingabrasive layer 210 exposed thereon, also as previously described. Inthis example, a user can fill the tub, place their feet on the one ormore inclined support surfaces 206, and soak and/or exfoliate thebottoms of their feet. The abrasive layer 210 can extend up parts of theside wall 204 so that a user can exfoliate the sides of the feet, ifdesired. The layer 210 in this example can also be configured as adurable, reusable surface or as disposable layer.

As will be evident to those having ordinary skill in the art, thevarious exfoliation devices, mats, appliqués, and the like that aredisclosed and described herein can offer surface characteristics withvarying or alternate different abrasive grips can vary in configurationand construction and yet fall within the spirit and scope of the presentinvention. For those examples of the invention, the intent is to providea device that allows the user to select the particular abrasive surfacegrit to achieve a desired result. The surface selected can be from anarray of two or more different abrasive surfaces offered or presented ona surface of the exfoliation device. Similarly, the examples disclosedherein can offer a gradually changing abrasive grit surface that allowsa user to select a portion of the surface that will achieve a desiredexfoliation goal whether the abrasion characteristics desired are fine,medium, course, or other surface abrasion. Clearly, any of the discloseddevices, appliqués, mats, or the like can also include a surface gritlayer with only a single consistent abrasive grit characteristic. Anytype of surface grit arrangement disclosed herein can be utilized on anyof the devices disclosed herein.

Returning again to FIG. 6 for example, any one of the devices disclosedherein can include a plurality of separately sealed cavities or spaceswithin the body of the device. In the example of FIG. 6, each of thepetals or panel regions 80 has an entirely independent sealed spacewithin the region. In one example, these independent sealed spaces canbe formed by pinching off the upper and lower layers 66 and 68 wheredesired to separate spaces within the cavity. In such an embodiment, auser can apply pressure to one of the regions without affecting theshape or usage of any of the other regions. Employing smallerindependent regions may also enhance the resistance to apply pressureupon a given region. The smaller the space, the less room for the fillermaterial 52 flow away from the applied pressure.

During use, a user can place there foot on the appropriate surfacelocation and knead their foot on the device against the surface toimpart removal of dead skin cells. Pressure placed on the exteriorsurface of the devices disclosed herein will result in the fillermaterial 50, and thus the surface in contact with the user's bodilyextremity, conforming to the shape of the extremity. The high viscosityor high density of the filler material will move and conform to theshape of the extremity, but will resist the pressure applied by theuser. Thus, the filler material will result in a consistent exfoliatingtreatment over the entire surface of the extremity in contact with theabrasive surface on the disclosed devices. For example, if the userpresses their foot against a surface of one of the disclosed devices,they can move or knead their foot against the exterior surface while theabrasive surface and filler material resist the applied pressure.

Although certain exfoliation products have been shown and describedherein in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, thescope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On thecontrary, this patent covers all embodiments of the teachings of thedisclosure that fairly fall within the scope of permissible equivalents.

1. A filled exfoliation product comprising: a body formed of a flexiblematerial and having an exposed exterior surface; at least one sealedinterior space disposed within the body; an exposed scrubbing materiallocated on at least a portion of the exterior surface and that hasmechanical exfoliating capability; and a flowable material within thesealed space that can conform to a shape of a body part applyingpressure upon the exterior surface of the exfoliation device and canmaintain the conformed shape while resisting the applied pressure.
 2. Anexfoliation product according to claim 1, wherein the body is a matcomprising: a bottom layer of a non-rigid material having a bottomsurface and an upper surface; and a top layer of a non-rigid materialhaving a top surface and a lower surface, wherein the space is definedbetween the lower surface of the top layer and the upper surface of thebottom layer, and wherein the exposed scrubbing material is on at leastpart of the top surface of the top layer.
 3. An exfoliation productaccording to claim 2, wherein the bottom layer and the top layer areformed of the same material.
 4. An exfoliation product according toclaim 2, wherein the bottom layer and the top layer are joined to oneanother at least around a perimeter of the product.
 5. An exfoliationproduct according to claim 2, wherein the top layer is reinforced with atop reinforcing material layer to strengthen the non-rigid material. 6.An exfoliation product according to claim 2, wherein the bottom layer isreinforced with a bottom reinforcing material layer to strengthen thenon-rigid material, and wherein the top and bottom reinforcing materiallayers are embedded in the non-rigid material of the top and bottomlayers, respectively.
 7. An exfoliation product according to claim 1,wherein the exposed scrubbing material is a mechanical exfoliation gritmaterial.
 8. An exfoliation product according to claim 7, wherein theexfoliation grit material includes multiple distinct grit regions ondifferent portions of the exterior surface.
 9. An exfoliation productaccording to claim 8, wherein one of the multiple distinct grit regionshas a different grit than another of the multiple distinct grit regions.10. An exfoliation product according to claim 1, wherein the exfoliationproduct is an appliqué with a bottom layer having a bottom surface andwherein the bottom surface includes an adhesion feature to adhere theappliqué to a surface.
 11. An exfoliation product according to claim 10,wherein the adhesion feature permits removal from and subsequentreattachment to the surface.
 12. An exfoliation product according toclaim 1, wherein the exfoliation product is a mat having non-round aperimeter shape.
 13. An exfoliation product according to claim 1,wherein the flowable material is a liquid gel material, a memory foammaterial, or a polyester foam material.
 14. An exfoliation productaccording to claim 1, wherein the flowable material is a solid granularmaterial, a pliable substance, or a movable substance.
 15. Anexfoliation product according to claim 1, wherein the body is in theshape of a ball and the exterior surface of the ball includes at leasttwo distinct grit regions carried on different portions of the exteriorsurface, each of the grit regions having different abrasive gritcharacteristics.
 16. An exfoliation product according to claim 1,wherein the body is an elongate strap with a pair of opposite ends, andwherein a handle with a grip is positioned on each of the ends of thestrap.
 17. An exfoliation product according to claim 16, wherein thestrap includes two opposed sides and each of the opposed sides has adifferent grit than the other of the opposed sides.
 18. An exfoliationproduct according to claim 1, further comprising: a foot tub having abottom and an upstanding side wall extending up from a perimeter of thebottom, wherein the body is an elongate strip configured to extendacross and releasably adhere to the bottom of the tub.
 19. Anexfoliation product according to claim 1, wherein the at least onesealed interior space includes a plurality of separate sealed chambersindependent of one another within the interior of the body.
 20. A skinexfoliation mat comprising: a mat body formed of a flexible material andhaving a top surface, a bottom surface, and a perimeter; a sealedinterior space disposed within the mat body between the top and bottomsurfaces; an exposed scrubbing material on at least a portion of the topsurface that has mechanical exfoliating capability; and a movablematerial disposed within the sealed space that is capable of conformingto a shape of a body part in contact with and pressing against the topsurface of the mat body and that can maintain the conformed shape andresist an applied pressure against the top surface.
 21. A skinexfoliation mat according to claim 20, wherein the mat includes a raisedlip extending upward from the top surface adjacent at least part of theexposed abrasive material.
 22. A skin exfoliation mat according to claim21, wherein the raised lip is positioned near and around at least aportion of the mat perimeter.